Hoverfly ID please

[BarbaraEmma]

Are these Brindled Hoverfly,I took this photo in my garden ,they're fast little things and don't like posing too long.Thanks Barbara

[Chas]

Yes, Brindled!

[aeshna5]

I'd never heard of that common name- but yes Helophilus pendulus, sometimes also called sunflies too! Certainly most books don't give English names for hoverflies as these names have only recently been invented for most of them.

[Chas]

Also called the footballer because of the striped "shirt"

[BarbaraEmma]

Thank you for your replies,it's always easier for me to remember English names,although I did Latin in school for 5 years, that was many years ago and some names don't exactly trip off the tongue do they. Barbara

[lync]

I always have trouble with latin names with macromoths as the english ones are so attractive. However, the recent made-up names for flies etc really are more trouble than they're worth (imo); I doubt whether any dipterists worth the name have ever heard of a Brindled hoverfly.